Buttered Artichoke Bottoms

• 4 small artichokes, about 1/2 pound each
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 1/2 cups water
• Salt to taste if desired
• 1 tablespoon butter

1. Place each artichoke on a flat surface on its side and cut away the stems.
2. Cut away bottom leaves, holding a sharp knife perpendicular to the base.
3. This should leave a clean, leafless base.
4. Cut away the top leaves, leaving a base about one inch thick.
5. Trim all around the top and bottom of each base to remove the green portions.
6. Put flour in a small sieve and hold the sieve over a small saucepan.
7. Pour the water over the flour, stirring to dissolve the flour.
8. Add salt to taste.
9. Put the artichoke bottoms into the saucepan and bring to a boil.
10. Let simmer 20 minutes until tender but not mushy.
11. Remove from the heat.
12. When cool enough to handle, remove the fuzzy ''choke'' in the center of each artichoke bottom, using fingers or a spoon.
13. Heat the butter in a small skillet and add the artichoke bottoms.
14. Cook, turning the bottoms in the hot butter, about two minutes or until very lightly browned on all sides.

artichokes, flour, water, salt, butter

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/6508 (may not work)